| Born | May 9, 1946 Walkerton, Ontario |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Canada |
| Field | Market research, social values research, sociology |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto (M.A.) Queen's University (B.A.) |
Michael John Adams (born September 29, 1946 in Walkerton, Ontario) is a Canadian writer and public opinion researcher. He is co-founder of the Environics Research Group and is now President of the Environics Group.
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Adams was born in Walkerton, Ontario but later moved to Rexdale in Etobicoke, Ontario, and graduated from North Albion Collegiate Institute. While at North Albion, he founded a Model United Nations club. He joined the Progressive Conservatives while in university and later served as leader of the Student Conservatives of Ontario. He attended Queen's University, where he received his B.A. in political studies in 1969. He went on to receive his M.A. in sociology from the University of Toronto in 1970.
Adams cofounded Environics Research Group in 1970, a polling and market research firm based in Toronto, Canada, and has since brokered many partnerships and joint ventures with firms in Canada and the United States. He became President of the Environics Group in 2000 [1] and was succeeded by Barry Watson as President of Environics Research.[2] Environics has offices in Calgary, Ottawa and Toronto. The Environics family of companies includes American Environics in Oakland, California led by Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus [3] of the Breakthrough Institute,[4] Environics Analytics led by Jan Kestle,[5] Environics Communications led by Bruce McLellan,[6] and Sequentia Environics led by Jen Evans.[7]
In 2006, Adams founded the Environics Institute to use survey research to give voice to populations usually excluded from public life in Canada and elsewhere. Adams launched pioneering studies of the attitudes of Muslims in Canada, the population of Afghanistan[8] and is currently conducting a study on Canada's urban aboriginal peoples.[9]
In recognition for his contribution to market research in Canada and his original work tracking changing social values in Canada and the United States, Ryerson University awarded him an honorary D.Litt. in June 2009.